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(No Model.)

H. W. WARNER.

GAR GOUPLING.

No. 893,492. Patented Nov. 27, 1888.

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PATENT HENRY lV. VARNER, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 393,492, dated November27, 1888.

Application filed April 10, 1888. Serial No.27,208.

To @ZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY W. WARNER, a citizen of the United States,residing at BaltiA more, in the Siate ofMaryland, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Can Couplers; and I do declare thefollowing to be a full, clear,` and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same, reference being had to the accom pan yingdrawings,and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specication.

Myinvention relates to improvementsin automatic car-couplings; and itconsists of certain devices whereby the couplings of two cars will beautomatically locked when brought together, and in certain other deviceswhereby the said couplings will be automatically released by themovement of a lever from the side of the cars, to accomplish all ofwhich I employ the devices hereinafter fully described and claimed,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1shows a part of two cars which are coupled by this device. Fig. 2 is aView looking down on a pair of couplings in the locked position, onecoupling being shown in section indicated by the liuc C C, Figs. 3 and4. Fig. 3 shows a cross-section through the device indicated bytheline AA,Figs. 2 and Z1-. Fig. ishows a vertical section through the deviceindicated bythe line B B, Fig. 3, the tongue being shown in full and inthe closed position. Fig. 5 is a viewin full looking down on the devicein the open position. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section of the device, thesection being indicated by the line D D in Fig. 3, the tongue shown fulland in the open position. Fig. 7 is adetailed side elevation ofthetongue shown in full, with the common linl; and linkpin connectedtherewith.

The same figures refer to the same or similar parts throughout theseveral views.

The figure 8 denotes the platform of a car, under which is suspended bya strap, 9, the coupling, a draft-rod, 10, connecting the coup ling ofeach end of the car in the usual manner, and a buffer, 11, backed by thebeam 12, serving to relieve the shock of impact. The

bull-nose 13,which contains the locking mech` (No model.)

anism, is provided with a rectangular recess, 14, which conforms in sizeand shape to the inner end, 15, of the tongue 16, whereby the saidtongue may be freely moved in and out of the bulllnose and perform itsnecessary functions, a larger recess, 17, being provided in the backofthe bull-nose to lessen its weight and to provide for the attachmentthereto of the draftArod 10. The tongue 1G is constructed in the formshown in Figs. 6 and 7, the outer end, 19, being provided with anoffset, 1S, for locking into a corresponding offset of the tongue ofanother coupling, this offset end being made in a curved or beveled formto facilitate its adjustment to the other coupling, and is also made ofsufficient depth to insure a secure hold of the two tongues when thecoup lings of the two cars may be at different heights, and whereby auniversal movement between the couplings is permitted by thisconstruction. This widest part of the tongue is carried back and formsan offset, 20, which stops the inward movement ofthe tongue within thebull-nose, and thus prevents injury to the locking mechanism within thedevice.

lVhen the tongue 16 has been moved to the full extent of its movement inthe bull-nose, it

is secured in this position by the lock-plate 21, which is free to movevertically in the slot 22, which is provided therefor in the casting ofthe bull-nose, the said lock-plate 21 being raised by the tapered end 32in the inward movement of the tongue and engaging with the locking-slot23,with which the inner end of the tongue is provided on the upper sidethereof, whereby the tongue will be securely held in this innerposition, a lever, 24, which is operated bythe shaft 25, and thehand-lever 26 serving to disengage the lock-plate 21 from the slot 23 ofthe tongue, and thus permit the tongue to be drawn outward.

In order that the outward movement of the tongue may be stopped, andthat it may be caused to move out of a straight line and to the positionshown in Figs. 5 and 6, there is provided the stop-plate 27 ,which isrigidly secured in some suitable manner to the bulLnose, the saidstop-plate passing through the gpideslot 29, with which the tongue isprovided, that part of the stop-plate 27 which is in the said slot 29having thereon the projecting inelined edge 2S, whereby when the innerend, 3Q, of the guide-slot 29 comes in Contact with the said inclinededge 28 it will be thrown to one side and the locked offset ends 1S ofthe tongues released, the bull-nose having therein an enlargement, 3l.,to the recess 14 to permit this deflected movement of the tongue.

In Figs. 5 and G the device is shown in the open position preparatory tocoupling. \Vhen the two couplingsare brought together,the end I9 of thetongue will strike the bull-nose of the opposite coupling and be therebyforced inward, the form of the recess 14, in which the tonguesmove,eausing the ends .19 to be brought together and the offsets 18thereof interlocked one with the other, as stated, this inward movementof the tongue causing the lock-plate 2]. to be raised by the tapered end32 thereof and engage with the locking-slot 23. therein, thus securelyholding t-he odset ends 1.?) of the couplings in this interlocliedposition, the form of the said offsets 1S permitting a limited movementof the two couplings, one to the other, in a horizontal plane, and theirextreme depth permitting a movement in a vertical plane, thus permittinga universal movement between the couplings.

When it is desired to uneouple the ears, the lock-plate 21 is raised bymeans of the lever 2G, this operation being performed on each ear, whichwill permit the tongues 1G to be drawn outward, and by the operationdescribed the ends 19 of the tongues will be thrown apart and theoffsets 18 of the respective couplings released from each other, and thecouplings be in the positions shown in `I Tigs. 5 and G, gravity causingthe lock-plate 2l to remain normally in the down position and thecouplings in condition to automatically couple.

In order to further relieve the shock of eollision on the couplings, thetongues may bey description, the end 19 of the tongue 16 is providedwith a recess,36,therein to accom modate an ordinary couplinglinlr, 35,which is held in position by the link-pin 34, which passes verticallythrough the end 19 of the tongue.

Having described my invention and the manner of operating, what I claim,and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent, 1sm

1. In a car-coupling, the combination of a bull-nose, a tongue free tobe moved in or out of the said bull-nose, said tongue provided with aslot, 29, and offset 1S, a stop-plate, 27, provided with the inclinedprojecting edge 28, whereby the said' tongue will be caused to move outof a straight line, and mechanism for locking the said tongue in theinner position, for the purpose set forth.

2. In a car-coupling, the combination of a bull-nose provided with therectangular recess 14., with the enlarged space 31 therein, a tongue,16, free to be moved in or outof the said bullnose, the said tongueprovided with the guide-slot 29, the offset 18, and the locking-slot 23,the stop-plate 27, provided with the inclined projecting edge 2S,whereby the said tongue will be caused to move out of a straight line,and a lock-plate, 21, to engage with the slot 23 of the tongue, for thepurpose set forth.

3. In a car-coupling, the combination of a bull-nose, the tongue 1G,free to be moved in or out ofthe said bull-nose, said tongue providedwith a guide-slot, 29, a locking-slot,23, an offset, 18,*'aud a recess,3G, in the offset end thereof, a link-pin, 3f, a stop-plate,'27, withthe inclined projecting edge 2S thereon, whereby the said tongue will becaused to move out of" a straight line, and the lock-plate 2l, to engagewith the locking-slot 23 of the tongue, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

IIENRY YV. \VARNER. \Vitnesses:

JN0. T. Mfumox, IVM. L. BAILIE.

